As companies want to bond post-Covid, corporate ski breaks are a growth area
While the tired old cliche of corporate teambuilding weekends might be orienteering in Hampshire or perhaps a spot of paintballing somewhere outside of Milton Keynes, the reality can be reassuringly different. Award-winning travel specialist Leo Trippi organises ski breaks for corporate groups, from small groups of executives to entire workforces. We caught up with CEO Oliver Corkhill to get the lowdown on how the coolest companies are spending the ski season.
Why book a ski retreat for staff?
There is something to be said for a mountain backdrop and mountain air for providing that extra bit of motivation and inspiration. Getting out onto the slopes provides a focused activity in the fresh air, which can be both challenging and exhilarating, providing a feeling of achievement that they can take back to the office. Whilst our corporate chalets have a selection of offices and meeting rooms for work, they also have large open plan living spaces with comfortable sofas set around fireplaces, which can provide a more relaxing ambiance than a traditional corporate space. These open plan areas, along with spas, cinema rooms and games rooms, allow everyone to mix more and get to know each other in a laid-back environment, rather than each person being confined to a hotel room.
Who books these trips?
All sorts of companies, from smaller financial based companies to larger corporate ones travelling with a select few members of their team. On the whole we do see more companies working in the finance or tech sector travel with us from some of the major cities all over the world.
We are also one of the top providers for luxury accommodation for the World Economic Forum which takes place every January in Davos, so we have many years of experience hosting delegates from all over the world and from all types of companies.
Is this a growth area?
There has always been high demand for corporate ski holidays, perhaps more so since the pandemic as companies look to reconnect in person rather than on Zoom. With people still working from home and a more hybrid work model starting to take shape in a lot of companies I think this is likely to continue..
How does this fit with climate goals and Covid?
Exclusivity, privacy and security have been core principles of what we offer so we have been able to easily adapt to the changing Covid landscape. The majority of the properties we offer are standalone, with added additional cleaning measures in place. As for sustainability, we see our role as a luxury travel provider is to educate our guests on the potential ways they can reduce their carbon footprint when travelling with us. This could be showcasing our dedicated collection of sustainable eco chalets or focusing their search on eco friendly resorts such as Zermatt in Switzerland who are an exclusively car free resort with many other initiatives such as recycled plastic roads and energy self-sufficient mountain restaurants.
Tell us about the skiing
Our corporate chalets are spread across the Alps although some of the most popular are in Chamonix due to the proximity to Geneva Airport and the fact that there tend to be a number of much larger chalets based here which are able to accommodate large groups. Chamonix is great for corporate groups as for the serious skier there is plenty to keep them amused but for those who don’t wish to ski, there is so much to do off the slopes, from dog sledding to panoramic flights and snowshoeing treks. Chamonix also has some great restaurants and lively nightlife for those who enjoy the apres-ski part of a ski holiday
• For further information or to book, visit leotrippi.com/luxury-ski-chalets/corporate-groups or call +44 1285 366 030